Game with tiltable receptacle

ABSTRACT

Game apparatus including a rockably supported target member having an enlarged mouth opening forming a target and an underlying receptacle having a curved bottom wall providing the rockable support for the target. A number of different simulated food item playing pieces are distributed to the game players and conveyed to the mouth opening, using an element stimulating an oversized fork. A chance device is provided to indicate the particular food item to be conveyed by the game players.

I United States Patent 1 1 3,582,070

1721 Inven or Jeffr y D- r low 3,070,371 12/1962 Hearler... 273/1XR Chicago, Ill. 3,091,461 5/1963 Taylor ,1 273/95(6) YPJ 32 3 FOREIGN PATENTS [22} i e v Patented June 1971 1,046,315 1966 Great Bntam 273/1 [73] Assignee Marvin Glass & Asociates Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Chicago, Ill. Axsistant Examiner-Paul Ev Shapiro Attorneys-James F. Coffee and Gerald M. Newman 54 GAME WITH TILTABLE RECEPTACLE l 6 Claims 2 Drawing Figs ABSTRACT: Game apparatus including a rockably supported target member having an enlarged mouth opening forming a U-S- .t target and an underlying receptacle having a curved bottom f 9/00 wall providing the rockable support for the target. A number [50] Field of Search 273/ 1, 95 fdiff t Simulated f d item playing pieces are distributed to the game players and conveyed to the mouth opening, using [56] References cued an element stimulating an oversized fork. A chance device is UNITED STATES PATENTS provided to indicate the particular food item to be conveyed 2,458,306 1/1949 Schneider 273/1UX by the game players.

PATENIEU Jun 1 I971 INVENTOR MEFFPEV 0. 5 6551 0W ATTO R N EY GAME WITH TILTABLE IRECJEF'IIACLE This invention relates in general to games. in particular, this invention relates to competitive games wherein the game participants are expected to recognize a situation and quickly and skillfully react in accordance to the rules of play to achieve a particular benefit directed toward winning the game.

Competitive games wherein the ability of the game participants to recognize particular game situations and to reflexively react thereto in a manner which also requires coordination and dexterity are generally appealing and typically hold the attention of the game participants for substantial periods of time. Games of the above described nature stimulate the reflexive reactions of the participants and serve to improve their coordination and dexterity, while simultaneously providing a source of amusement, entertainment, and enjoyment.

Accordingly, the game apparatus of the invention comprises a target in the manner of a caricature figure having an enlarged target mouth opening and an underlying, combination base-receptacle which is shaped to provide relatively unstable support for the target. The invention also includes a plurality of simulated food item playing pieces which may be placed within the target opening by an oversized utensil to simulate feeding of the mouth opening. Defensive playing pieces in the shape of simulated insects are also provided for feeding to the mouth opening under certain game situations.

Accordingly, the primary object of this invention is to provide competitive game apparatus requiring reflexive action, coordination and dexterity of the game players.

Another object of this invention is to provide game apparatus which is amusing, novel and appealing to the game players.

Additional objects to this invention will become apparent to those versed in the game art upon an understanding of the following detailed description of the game apparatus and its rules of play taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the game apparatus is shown, and wherein:

F l6. 1 is a three dimensional view of the game apparatus including a target means HO. 2 is an enlarged elevational cross-sectional view of target means 10 shown in FIG. l.

Turning now to the drawings, the game apparatus of the invention generally comprises a target means 10, a number of shallow concave plates 12 carrying a plurality of playing pieces 14 thereon, a number of implements l6, and chance means 18 in the form of a spinner.

Target means 10 includes a thin planar member 20 having an upper surface 22 illustrated to display an attractive, colorfully designed caricature figure including a pair of extending ear members 24 and extending leg members 26. Planar member 20 forms an enlarged mouth opening 28 disposed at the normal location of the caricature figure's mouth. A hemispherically shaped receptacle 30 is provided in underlying relation to member 20 and is removably secured thereto by a plurality of upstanding tabs 32 spaced about an upper circular edge 33 of the receptacle. The tabs frictionally cooperate with an equal number of similarly spaced complementary openings 36 provided through member 20, thus the planar member is rigidly carried relative to the receptacle.

Receptacle 30 provides a base for supporting member 20, and the assembled target is normally positioned with the rounded bottom surface of the receptacle 30 disposed on a flat surface 38, such as a table or floor.

The target is preferably balanced so that when the rounded bottom surface is placed on surface 38, the planar member 20 will normally attain a generally horizontal attitude. Of course, the configuration of the bottom surface causes the target to be extremely unstable and to rock back and forth upon being serve the particular playing pieces which have been deposited. The planar member is adapted to be removable from the receptacle to facilitate retrieving the playing pieces upon completion of a game, and also to facilitate storage of the apparatus during the periods of nonuse.

In accordance with the invention, the game apparatus includes the shallow concave plates 12, which may be separately identified by the use of different colors and which are distributed to each of the game players for carrying playing pieces M. The playing pieces preferably simulate groups of food items, with each group comprising identically shaped food items, and wherein each food item is differently colored to distinguish it from the other items of the group. These colors may serve to identify the game players. For example, as seen in FIG. l, the food item groups may comprise pears 40, donuts 412, bananas 44, peanuts 45, and other food items. Alternatively, other object groups and related target means may be used with the apparatus of the invention while keeping within its inventive concept.

The game apparatus also-includes a group of defensive playing pieces 46. As seen in FIG. 1, this group comprises a number of simulated bugs or insects which may also be color identified.

A utensil 16, such as a fork, is distributed to each of the game players. The forks are preferably oversized, of fanciful configuration, and comprise a handle end 47 and a number of broad tines 48 which increase the difficulty of the players attempting to pickup the playing pieces from plates 12.

Finally, the game apparatus includes the spinner means 18 comprising a base 49 bearing a plurality of circumferentially spaced indicia 50 pictorially designating the various food item groups, and a spinner 52 which may be operated by the players for randomly selecting one group.

in accordance with the rules of play, each player chooses a color and places a plate 12 in front of him while the target is centrally located relative to the participating players. The fold items of the groups are distributed among the game players and placed on their plates so that each player has at least one food item of each group and each food item on a player's plate is of the same color. A colored insect is also distributed to each player. Forks 16 are held by the players at the handle ends 47 which makes it more difficult to pick up the food items. A player should be prohibited from grasping the fork at the lower portion of the handle adjacent the tines.

A player is selected to operate the spinner and each player attempts to use his fork to pick up the food item from his plate, designated by the spinner. The item is transported or carried by the oversized fork 16 to the enlarged mouth opening 28, whereupon it is dropped into the receptacle 30. This is the racing aspect of the game, although coordination and dexterity are required to successfully quickly pick up the particular food item and carefully transport it to the mouth opening. A player is not allowed to use his hands other than to manipulate the fork by grasping it at its handle end 47. If playing pieces are dropped from the plate, they must be picked up with the fork.

Only one particular food item of the designated group is allowed to be placed within the mouth during each game round. Any other food items placed in the opening after the first, must be removed by the player. The player who deposits his food item first is the winner of the round and he begins the next round by operating the spinner.

If the spinner designates a food item which a player has already placed in the target opening, so that the player is void of that particular food item, he plays defensively by picking up an insect 46 and placing it in the target opening before any of the other players can deposite a food item. By depositing the contacted by a player or an implement such as utensil 16. This insect the p y Prevents other pl y from po iting instability is intended to cause the players considerable difficulty in accurately placing the playing pieces within the enlarged mouth opening.

The wall of receptacle 30 may be formed of transparent material such as plastic to enable the players to clearly obplaying reaction to perform game plays which require coordination and dexterity of the game players.

It is obvious that upon study by those skilled in the art, the disclosed invention may be altered or modified without departing from its inventive concept.

What We claim is:

1. Game apparatus for use by a number of game players comprising: target means in the form of a planar caricature figure defining an enlarged mouth opening and a nonplanar underlying receptacle providing unstable support for said figure, a plurality of similar distinguishable playing pieces distributable to each of the game players; chance means having indicia for randomly designating one of said distributable playing pieces; and manual implement means handled by each of said players for transporting said designated playing piece to said target means, said players competing to be first to deposit their designated playing piece in the target means receptacle.

2. The game apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including additionally: blocking playing pieces distributable to said game players, said latter pieces being transported by said implements and deposited in the enlarged mouth opening when a player is void of the randomly designated playing piece; said blocking piece thereby preventing other players from depositing their designated pieces in the mouth opening.

3. The game apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including additionally: a player held plate for holding said playing pieces;

and wherein said manual implement comprises an enlarged fork, said playing pieces comprise a variety of different simulated food items, and said blocking playing pieces comprise simulated insects.

4. Game apparatus comprising a target member including means defining an opening and a receptacle underlying said opening, said receptacle being provided with a curved wall portion which provides a rockable support for said member on a generally horizontal surface, a plurality of different playing pieces adapted to be placed in said receptacle through said opening, a plurality of elements to be used by the players in conveying said playing pieces to said target opening, and a chance device for indicating which of said playing pieces is to be selected by the players for placement in the target opening.

5. The game apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said receptacle is hemispherieally shaped and defines a circular edge, and wherein said opening defining means comprise a normally horizontal planar member carried on said circular edge.

6. The game apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said planar member simulates a caricature figure having an enlarged mouth forming said target opening, and wherein said playing pieces comprise food items which are fed to said mouth opening by said players. 

1. Game apparatus for use by a number of game players comprising: target means in the form of a planar caricature figure defining an enlarged mouth opening and a nonplanar underlying receptacle providing unstable support for said figure, a plurality of similar distinguishable playing pieces distributable to each of the game players; chance means having indicia for randomly designating one of said distributable playing pieces; and manual implement means handled by each of said players for transporting said designated playing piece to said target means, said players competing to be first to deposit their designated playing piece in the target means receptacle.
 2. The game apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including additionally: blocking playing pieces distributable to said game players, said latter pieces being transported by said implements and deposited in the enlarged mouth opening when a player is void of the randomly designated playing piece; said blocking piece thereby preventing other players from depositing their designated pieces in the mouth opening.
 3. The game apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including additionally: a player held plate for holding said playing pieces; and wherein said manual implement comprises an enlarged fork, said playing pieces comprise a variety of different simulated food items, and said blocking playing pieces comprise simulated insects.
 4. Game apparatus comprising a target member including means defining an opening and a receptacle underlying said opening, said receptacle being provided with a curved wall portion which provides a rockable support for said member on a generally horizontal surface, a plurality of different playing pieces adapted to be placed in said receptacle through said opening, a plurality of elements to be used by the players in conveying said playing pieces to said target opening, and a chance device for indicating which of said playing pieces is to be selected by the players for placement in the target opening.
 5. The game apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said receptacle is hemispherically shaped and defines a circular edge, and wherein said opening defining means comprise a normally horizontal planar member carried on said circular edge.
 6. The game apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said planar member simulates a caricature fIgure having an enlarged mouth forming said target opening, and wherein said playing pieces comprise food items which are fed to said mouth opening by said players. 